1. Filed of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clamping apparatus for a disc player to replay a CD, DVD, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There has been demand for miniaturization and thinning in a clamping apparatus for a disc player in which a clamper is arranged between a frame and a turntable; a disc is clamped by the magnetic force by the turntable and the clamper; the clamper releasing means is driven by the driving means; and the clamper is released from the turntable by the clamper releasing means. There are special regulations governing the maximum outer dimensions for in-car disc players with strict dimensional restrictions for integrated clamping apparatuses for automobiles.
Japanese Laid-open patent publication 2002-109803 discloses the following clamping apparatus for devising thinning.
Namely, a clamper is released from a turntable by three latching pieces by arranging three flexible holding levers (20), which are freely horizontally rotational around the clamper (2), providing a latching piece (16) on one end of each holding lever, synchronizing the rotation of the three holding levers in a horizontal direction by rotating a ring shaped clamper base (14) causing the latching pieces to run on each of the corresponding guide cams (24), thereby releasing the clamper from the turntable using the three latching pieces.
On the other hand, in a clamping apparatus of a disc player in which the turntable and the clamper clamp the disc by a magnetic force, a strong detaching force is required to overcome the magnetic force when releasing the clamper from the turntable.
With the construction disclosed in the Japanese Laid-open patent publication 2002-109803 described above, the latching piece of each holding lever is designed to run on the guide cam using the flexibility of each holding lever. However, because characteristics of flexibility and strong releasing force are essentially incompatible, it has been difficult to release the clamper from the turntable with a strong force using a holding lever having flexibility. Consequently, there is the risk of losing stability in the releasing operation, and selection of material for the holding lever is difficult, requiring the use of expensive material.
Consideration has been given to construction in which a pair of clamper releasing members is installed at both sides for holding the clamper with full ability to rotate vertically, and the rim of the clamper is scooped by the rotating edge of the releasing members. However, the turntable and the clamper are generally installed in a floating state relative to the frame, so there is a need to separate the clamper releasing member substantially outward from the clamper during disc playback. Consequently, if the clamper releasing member is merely mounted on the frame, a different mechanism would be needed to release substantially outward from the clamper during the playback operation, making miniaturization and thinning extremely difficult.
The present invention is achieved in consideration of the problems described above, and has the objective of providing an inexpensive clamping apparatus for a disc player capable of obtaining stable operation while improving miniaturization and thinning.